Auburn completed a perfect 5-0 weekend, beating UNC behind a nine-run fourth inning.
Sunday, Auburn looked to sweep the Tiger Invitational and start 5-0 this year. To complete that feat, Auburn needed to defeat UNC Sunday morning, something the Tigers accomplished on the first night of the tournament when they defeated UNC 8-1. Auburn run ruled the Tar Heels, winning 11-1, and going to 5-0 to start the season.
Pitching started hot for both teams, behind the arm of Auburn’s Chalea Clemmons getting two early strikeouts and a groundout to start the game. North Carolina’s Kenna Raye Dark faltered early, hitting Peralta with the first pitch, but came back with a lineout and double play the next two batters.
After another successful top of the inning for Clemmons, it looked like it would be a pitcher’s duel heading into the bottom of the inning. That was until Amelia Lech stepped up to the plate. With the ball exploding off her bat, the ball hurdled toward left field as it hit off the scoreboard to make it 2-0 Auburn early. Dark came back in the inning striking out two more batters, but she held a high pitch count through two innings.
It wouldn’t be long before North Carolina’s offense would be in position to tie the game up. Just a half-inning later, North Carolina’s Coleman would sac-bunt to put Burns and Jackson on second and third with only one out, but Clemmons would pop the next two batters out to get out of the inning. It would be much of the same in the bottom half, with Auburn getting the bases loaded, by way of two walks and a single before Lech flew out to center field, ending the inning.
After a quiet top of the fourth, Auburn’s offense finally started getting consistent contact. Leading off was Ma’Nia Womack’s triple, hitting a deep ball that pushed the right-fielder to crash into the wall. Rose Roach would score Womack with an infield single but Roach would get out on a fielder’s choice just a couple pitches later. Dark would get into some trouble later, giving up a bases-loaded walk to Wohlers, scoring Smith and putting North Carolina on the brink.
Left-handed pitcher Nikki Harris would come on for North Carolina but even she could not stop Auburn’s hot inning. Her first batter faced, KK McCrary, hit a deep double to center field, scoring two before Brockman’s blooper into left scored one more. Lech continued her hot game, hitting a single and scoring McCrary, getting her third RBI in just four innings.
Bacher comes in for North Carolina, making her the third pitcher in just their half-inning. She would get a much needed fielder’s choice off her first-faced batter, but pinch-hitter AnnaLea Adams would take her deep just a couple pitches later.
UNC led off the 5th inning with a triple by Lexie Roberts, retiring Chalea Clemmons after four dominant innings. Rainey came in for Clemmons and forced a groundout to Blackwell but unfortunately let that runner come in, giving North Carolina their first run of the game. After a walk and fielder’s choice, UNC had runners in scoring position but would leave them on to finish 11-1.
After the game, Chalea Clemmons credited her team and the fans for the win, saying “Everybody’s just electric. Fan base, my teammates, they’re always having my back. We’re just having a good time.”
Auburn looks to continue the hot start Thursday against Clemson as a part of the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. That game will be broadcast at 3:00 p.m. CST on WEGL 91.1FM and on ESPN2.
